A number of fine saves from Gabriel Ortelli and two goalline clearances ensured an own goal late in the first half was enough for Watford Under-21s to beat Crewe 1-0 at the Mornflake Stadium.
It means back-to-back victories for Charlie Daniels’ side, and the three points lifts them to third in the Premier League Professional Development League South table.
Keeper Ortelli only recently turned 17 and is still eligible to play for the Under-18s, however he already had experience at the older age group and certainly got plenty more in this hard-fought away success.
Twice Watford denied the home side on their own goalline, but they also had the chances to make it a more comfortable afternoon as well.
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The clean sheet was the Under-21’s first since they handed Peterborough a 7-0 whipping back in March, which was also the last time they won consecutive league games.
The Hornets made the early running with Dawid Hamiga seeing a fourth-minute effort blocked before Jack Grieves took a pass from Albert Eames but sent his 25-yard effort straight at Crewe keeper Tom Booth.
Then the action switched to the other end, and Ortelli made two good stops in quick succession.
First Lewis Nolan released Charlie Finney but Ortelli did well to block his shot, and then within a minute the Watford keeper tipped away a well-struck Calum Agius effort from the edge of the box.
From the resultant corner the ball was worked to Nolan and he sent a curling effort just wide.
After 20 minutes Jake Watkiss broke but his cross was too high for Grieves, before Crewe skipper Zac Williams let fly with a shot which Ortelli pushed around the post.
Four minutes after sending over a cross that was too high, Watkiss got away again and this time James Collins got on the end of his ball into the centre but put his header just over the bar.
It took a great clearance off the line from Josh Mullins to deny Crewe in the 27th minute when Owen Lunt broke and teed up Connor Evans. He rounded Ortelli but saw the sliding Watford defender prevent what looked a certain goal.
Lunt then created another chance for Agius but the midfielder cleared the target from the edge of the box.
Ten minutes before the break Collins worked space for a shot from a tight angle and Booth was able to save.
Ortelli was called into action again shortly after, saving a curling shot from Lunt after he had been found by Nolan.
Watford then made the breakthrough three minutes before half time, courtesy of an own goal, when Hamzat Balogun sent in a cross that hit Williams to send the ball past Booth.
It was very nearly 2-0 moments later as Collins got a touch on a low, whipped-in corner but saw the ball come back off the post.
Four minutes after the restart Ortelli was quickly off his line to avert the danger when a long ball out of the Crewe defence looked like it might set Evans free.
Watkiss then got in behind the home defence but was denied by good covering work from Lewis Billington.
In the 56th minute Williams sent a free kick just past the post before Grieves saw a powerful low drive pushed round the post by Booth after an hour.
Ortelli denied Crewe again in the 74th minute, tipping Nathan Robinson’s header from a corner over the bar.
Summer signing Charlie Stallard came on as a sub in the 84th minute and was instantly at the heart of the action as he blocked Billington’s goalbound effort on the line.
Then at the other end Collins looked to be in on goal only for a great tackle from Robinson to deny him.
There were two more chances for Watford right at the death as first substitute Aidan Coyne saw his shot saved by Booth, then Charlie Davis got away down the right before cutting inside only to shoot wide.
Watford: Ortelli; Balogun, Eames (Stallard 84), Trialist (Coyne 78), Mullins, Abbott, Hamiga (Gaspar 57), Davis, Collins, Grieves, Watkiss (Torres 78). Sub not used: Browne
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